Dozens of protesters demonstrated outside the Iranian embassy in Dublin, urging Ireland to impose sanctions on the country over its role in the "genocide" in Syria.

Leoni O'Dowd, a member of the Irish Syrian Solidarity Movement which organised the peaceful protest, said "billionaires" in both Iran and Russia needed to be blocked from international financial markets in order to bring their governments "to heel".

She also urged the Irish Government to ban trade missions to Iran which she called "absolutely shocking".

Syrian physician Dr Mohammad Kamal (54), who is originally from Idlib, said he still had family in Syria who were under siege by the Assad regime.

"We all worry about our families but also about all Syrians," he said last night. "It's genocide."

Boualem Rebai (55), an engineer who is originally from Algeria, said: "It's a duty. It's an obligation to fight for human rights. It's genocide what's happening. But the world is shutting its mouth. It's not acceptable."